This inspired Ukrainian Beef and Potato Stew is budget-friendly, satisfyingly tasty and will fill up the family. Too easy and so delicious!
The brave people of Ukraine
Ukraine is currently on the news, in our heads and in our prayers. I’ve really tried to not watch or read any news about the war, but it’s impossible. Like most people, I’m already too invested. It hurts me to know that humans are the smartest and most caring species on earth, and yet, here we are killing each other.
My husband, Tomasi, has raised a good point. As devastating as what’s happening in Ukraine, we should also acknowledge other unfortunate countries that have been at war for years, Myanmar, Yemen, and Syria, just to name a few. These countries don’t have as much media attention, so many of us are unaware of these situations or know little about them. I’m the first to admit I’m guilty of this.
This may seem very insignificant, but I want to dedicate this post to the brave people of Ukraine.
I’ve never been fortunate enough to visit Ukraine, and I’m not familiar with their food, but what I know for certain is how good their Beef and Potato stew tastes!
This is thanks to a lovely Ukrainian couple that used to live in our block (strata). Our hubbies got along, as they enjoyed having a chit chat with beer.
One evening, Tomasi came from visiting them with a saucepan in his hand. ‘You don’t need to make dinner tonight because we have this pot of Ukrainian stew,’ He said grinning with excitement. Hubby loves meaty stews, but what about me? To be honest, not really. However, I was also excited because it was the first time I tried a Ukrainian dish.
Their stew certainly changed my mind. It’s one of those comfort meals that leave you wanting to lick your bowl clean. A slow cooking stew with meaty gravy sauce, with loads of tender beef and potatoes. So simple but yet so satisfyingly good.
Everyone loves comfort food, so here’s more:
Beef Moussaka
Slow Cooked Ragu with 3 meat
Pepper Beef Pie
Meatballs in Tomato Herb Sauce
Don’t forget to ask for that recipe!
Thinking about this annoys me just a little… ok maybe more than just a little. We were so crazy about the Ukrainian Stew that I constantly nagged hubby to get the recipe from them. ‘Yes, yes, yes, will do.’ he replied nonchalantly.
Guess what? They moved out a few years ago, and we don’t have their recipe. Job well done, 5 points to hubby.
On my quest to recreate the Ukrainian couple’s stew, I tried out a few recipes and ended up creating my own. I have to say, this version tastes very similar to theirs. In fact, it’s pretty darn AMAZING! Tomasi confirmed this when he ate 3 servings in one sitting.
This stew is budget-friendly as it uses cheaper cuts of steak, such as chuck or casserole. It’s slow-cooked for 2 hours until the beef is tender and falls apart. Nothing is better than having affordable ingredients and turning them into mouthwatering comfort meals that the entire family will enjoy.
Ingredients for Ukrainian Beef and Potato Stew
Steak – I used budget-friendly chuck steak that I’ve chopped into large bite-sized chunks. Other great steaks to use for slow cooking includes skirt, round, blade and topside.
Potatoes – Waxy potatoes work best because they’ll keep their shape during the long cooking process. Kipfler, Russet, Yukon Gold, all-purpose and low GI potatoes are great for stews.
Beef stock/broth – I prefer using salt-reduced beef stock because I have more control over the sodium level in my cooking. It’s always better to be under-seasoned than over-seasoned as it’s easier to fix.
Thickened cream (whipping cream) has gelatine added to it and contains 35% milk fat. Low fat cream would also work, but the gravy sauce won’t be as rich and thick.
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How to make Ukrainian Beef and Potato Stew
Step-by-step guide with photos
Lightly season the steak with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. If using a dutch oven/cast-iron pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sear the sides of the steak until brown and a nice crust forms. You may have to do this in a few batches. Once done, return all the beef back into the pan.
Add the garlic and onion into the saucepan with the beef and quickly stir-fry for a minute, then pour in the beef stock. Add in tomato paste, paprika, stock cube, bay leaves, salt and pepper, then give it a mix. Bring the mixture to a boil, then place the lid on. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes untouched.
Place the potatoes into the stew, making sure they’re mostly covered by the broth. Cook covered for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes and steak are tender. Do a test by removing a piece of beef and potato onto a small plate. If the fork pokes through the potatoes easily and the beef shreds effortlessly, it’s ready.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and cornstarch together, then pour it into the stew. Stir the stew gently to combine, then cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until the stew has thickened. Have a taste of the stew and add more salt or pepper if needed.
Leftovers – Allow the stew to cool completely at room temperature. Transfer the stew into a sealed container and refrigerate. It’ll be good for up to 5 days. Frozen stew will keep for up to 3 months.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Watch my Thai Chicken and Pumpkin Stir Fry Video
Beef and Potato Stew (Ukrainian)
Ingredients
- 1 kg chuck steak (cut into large bite-sized cubes) (NOTE 1)
- salt and pepper to season
- 2 tbsp olive oil (mild or light)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 4 cups salt-reduced beef stock (or beef broth) (NOTE 2)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 beef stock cube (or 1 tsp of beef stock powder)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 kg potatoes (peeled and cut into large bite-sized pieces) (NOTE 3)
- ⅓ cup thickened cream (whipped cream) (NOTE 4)
- 1½ tbsp cornstarch (or cornflour)
Instructions
- Lightly season the steak with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. If using a dutch oven/cast-iron pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sear the sides of the steak until brown and a nice crust forms. You may have to do this in a few batches. Once done, return all the beef back into the pan.
- Add the garlic and onion into the saucepan with the beef and quickly stir-fry for a minute, then pour in the beef stock. Add in tomato paste, paprika, stock cube, bay leaves, salt and pepper, then give it a mix. Bring the mixture to a boil, then place the lid on. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes untouched.
- Place the potatoes into the stew, making sure they're mostly covered by the broth. Cook covered for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes and steak are tender. Do a test by removing a piece of beef and potato onto a small plate. If the fork pokes through the potatoes easily and the beef shreds effortlessly, it's ready.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cream and cornstarch together, then pour it into the stew. Stir the stew gently to combine, then cook uncovered for 10 minutes or until the stew has thickened. Have a taste of the stew and add more salt or pepper if needed.
